Lesson 1Metabolic panels: basic and comprehensive metabolic panel components and clinical significanceThis lesson covers basic and full metabolic panels, what tests they include, what samples are needed, normal ranges, and how strange patterns help check kidney work, sugar levels, salts in body, and general body balance.
BMP vs CMP: included analytes and indicationsElectrolyte patterns in dehydration and acidosisGlucose, calcium, and renal markers in panelsSpecimen handling, hemolysis, and interferencesInterpreting multi-analyte trends over timeLesson 2Renal and electrolytes: BUN, creatinine, electrolytes, anion gap, serum osmolalityThis lesson looks at kidney function and body salt tests like BUN, creatinine, anion gap, and body fluid balance, stressing issues before testing, how to calculate, and understanding in sudden kidney problems, dryness, and acid balance troubles.
BUN and creatinine: physiology and limitationsEstimated GFR calculations and clinical useElectrolyte panels and anion gap calculationSerum osmolality and osmolar gap assessmentPreanalytical factors affecting renal testsLesson 3Principles of test selection based on presenting symptoms (chest pain, dysuria, jaundice)This lesson gives a clear way to choose tests from symptoms like chest pain, painful urine, or yellow skin, pointing out main test groups, ways to rule out issues, danger signs, and when to move to harder tests.
Chest pain: cardiac, metabolic, and D-dimer testsDysuria: urinalysis, culture, and STI panelsJaundice: liver tests and hemolysis markersFever and sepsis: culture and lactate strategyAlgorithmic test pathways and reflex rulesLesson 4Urinalysis components: dipstick chemistry, microscopic sediment, indications for cultureThis lesson explains regular urine testing, including stick chemistry and tiny bits under microscope, focusing on links to kidney and urine path problems, when to grow bacteria, and spotting dirt or bad collection.
Urine collection methods and preservationDipstick parameters and common interferencesMicroscopic sediment: cells, casts, and crystalsCriteria for reflex or indicated urine cultureDistinguishing contamination from true infectionLesson 5Cardiac biomarker selection: troponin I/T, CK-MB, BNP — indications and timingThis lesson covers picking and timing heart markers like troponin I/T, CK-MB, and BNP, looking at how they rise, repeat testing plans, test mix-ups, and matching with risk scores and heart tracings.
Troponin I vs T: assay features and cutoffsSerial sampling and delta troponin strategyCK-MB: legacy uses and current limitationsBNP and NT-proBNP in heart failure workupInterferences and false-positive elevationsLesson 6Hematology basics for acute presentation: CBC interpretation, differential, reticulocyte count, peripheral smear triggersThis lesson starts blood tests for urgent cases, focusing on full blood count, cell types, young red cell count, and when to check blood slide, helping check infections, low blood, bleeding danger, and bone marrow issues.
CBC parameters and critical value flagsDifferential patterns in infection and allergyAnemia classification and reticulocyte countPeripheral smear triggers and key findingsPreanalytical issues in hematology samplesLesson 7Microbiology tests selection: urine culture, blood culture indications, specimen-dependent rapid testsThis lesson focuses on choosing germ tests by suspected place, like urine and blood growth, quick germ and gene tests, and how time, amount, and carry conditions affect finding germs and trust in results.
Indications and timing for urine culturesBlood culture sets, volume, and contaminationSource-specific rapid antigen and PCR testsAnaerobic, wound, and respiratory culturesTransport media, temperature, and stabilityLesson 8Liver function tests: AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, total and direct bilirubin — interpretation patternsThis lesson explains liver work and damage tests like AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, and bilirubin parts, stressing patterns for liver cell damage, blockages, and invasions, plus before-test and drug mix-ups.
AST and ALT in hepatocellular injuryALP and GGT in cholestatic processesTotal vs direct bilirubin and jaundice typesPattern recognition in mixed liver diseaseSpecimen handling and drug interferencesLesson 9Coagulation and bedside tests relevant to urgent care: PT/INR, aPTT, D-dimer, point-of-care glucose and lactateThis lesson reviews blood clotting tests and quick bedside checks like PT/INR, aPTT, D-dimer, and finger sugar and lactate, stressing when to use, limits, and fast sharing of danger values.
PT/INR: monitoring warfarin and liver functionaPTT: intrinsic pathway and heparin therapyD-dimer in suspected venous thromboembolismPoint-of-care glucose: accuracy and pitfallsLactate in shock and sepsis assessment
